Why is it so much harder to endure criticism and judgment from a loved one than it is from a client or someone you don't know as well? I believe it is because it is so much easier to not take it personally when you can have empathy for the other person. However, when it is someone close to home, it is easier to have the expectation that 'you know me better than that'. Let's try to give the same grace to those close to us as we do clients and strangers.